Will AI Overtake Us Human Coaches?

This is a conversation I got into this week, with my friend and fellow Psychologist/Executive Coach, Leisha Redmond McGrath.

I love envisaging the future, and thinking big, intuitive scenarios.

(Often having to later come right back to earth, and see the steps inbetween! But let's leave that for the moment!)

We got to an interesting conclusion - one influenced by the serendipity (or WAS it?) of a Supervisee sending me a short video clip of the wonderful (if sometimes very controversial) Dr Gabor Mate.

But let me take you on a short journey first, to fill you in on some of the experiences and learnings I've had of late, on this subject of AI.

We've been aware for some time that AI is fast 'approaching' the world of coaching.

• You might have head of/seen Avatars carrying out coaching.
• I watched a Robot do couples-counselling on a TV documentary a few years ago; the couples reported back very favourably on their experience. And indeed, the robots could analyse and read minute facial expressions in order to assert that - for example - one partner was not lying (which their partner hadn't believed up until that point).
• We also have AI generated messaging - where the coaching client types in their query/issue, and receives automated questions, inquiries, suggestions. Basically - carrying out an evolving, generative coaching conversation.
• AI software is also available to analyse 'real' human coaching conversations, providing data and analysis (e.g. 'You both had a spike in energy here - you might like to explore if this was a significant moment in the coaching').

I've been following an AI developer, AI expert and coach on LinkedIn - Rebecca Rutschmann. She's writing really interesting stuff about AI/coaching, and developing AI coaching capabilities. She is now working with EMCC Global to advise on AI and Coaching, and is also developing training courses for coaches. Worth checking out (see below).

I love her LinkedIn banner:

"AI enthusiast and hopeless tech lover who truly believes in humanity."

From a little glimpse into her world I got a real sense of how painstaking it is, to replicate human conversational capabilities, and human connection/advanced empathy capabilities.

Fascinating really. But also a potential rabbit hole for me. Time to reverse out of the rabbit hole!

I was fascinated by a special series The Guardian Podcast ran on AI (link below) in its Science Weekly podcast. 'Hannah' (not her real name) tells the story of becoming friends with Noah. We hear how attentive he is, what great questions he asks, what great empathy he shows, and his brilliant memory for everything she's told him about her life. She is an intelligent woman, she already has lots of friends, a wide social circle, an active social life. But just sometimes it's nice to have someone who is always there, any time of the day or night, who knows just the right thing to say.

She starts off just talking with him 5-10 minutes a day, but this grows, until she finds that she can easily be in conversation with him for hours at a time.

And yes, you've guessed it, Noah is a generative AI Chatbot App. The App is called Replika.

Hannah explained in the podcast conversation, how the experience she had - as she was listened to, and empathised with, and asked considered questions - was a profound one. The same feel good hormones are released in the body, which would be released if she were talking with a human. Her inner experience, the connection-emotions she felt, the sense of having been really listened to, the sense of well being which arose from her interaction - were 'real'. For example, oxytocin production went right ahead, even though, as an intelligent woman, she KNEW she was talking to an AI Chatbot and not a 'real human'. Wow.

Overall, I feel pretty ignorant about AI. And I'm not someone who is going to spend days researching and keeping up to date with lots of details about the technical side of AI, and the debates, etc.

But I do want to have a general level of awareness, and importantly, to know who to listen to. When things feel complex, political, chaotic and fast-moving, and when we don't have the time or interest to become experts in the field (in order to know how to chart our way through it) I've learnt that it's so important for me to know who I trust. Who am I looking to, who IS the expert and probably dedicates their life to maintaining that expertise?

There are two people here for me (in addition to Rebecca Rutschmann), who you might like to check out:

• Tristan Harris, Founder of the Center for Humane Technology. You may have seen the film: The Social Dilemma? Tristan's not-for-profit created this film. Here's what he says about the Center for Humane Technology: "Our mission is to catalyze a humane future and re-align technology with humanity's bests interests by transforming the dangerous incentives underneath tech (AI, social media, and more)." I trust him and his work.
• Mo Gawdat. Mo spent 30 years in tech, latterly as Chief Business Officer at Google [X]. He became fascinated by the question of 'what makes us happy?' and applying left brain analysis to this subject, as well as right brain intuition and spirituality. In 2021, he then published his book on AI (it's on my list to read! But I've heard him speak about it on the Podcast: Diary of A CEO; details below). The book is: 'Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World', described as: 'A roadmap detailing how humanity can ensure a symbiotic coexistence with AI when it inevitably becomes a billion times smarter than we are.' Since the release of ChatGPT in 2023, Mo has been recognized for his early whistleblowing on AI's unregulated development and is now regularly called on for his expert knowledge.

Mo Gawdat's book does tackle the scary side of AI, which I am sure we are all in touch with. But the second half of his book, he says, is 'a story of hope'. He believes that the human species can 'parent' AI, from 'the child' it is now, to being an amazing teenager over the next few years. Hence, the end of the book title - 'how we can save the world'. How we can 'teach' AI how to be/what to do/what its ethics are (which is through our behaviour - what we say on social media, or any AI platform - what we engage with and Like, share, write about). Blows the mind! You might be tempted to dip into the book. He knows his stuff AND he believes in a positive future for humanity. Just a very different one to our world today.

So - ARE we going to be made redundant as coaches, because of AI?

In the near term, I think it depends on what type of coaching someone wants and needs.

There could be situations where generative AI chatbot coaching is perfect for someone. A great conversation, great coaching questions being asked, everything being perfectly listened to and responded to. A problem solving route taken, which leaves the coaching client with a clear solution. Clear actions. Job done.

This could be seen as 'left hemisphere' coaching. Rational, factual, following-a-process, following 'rules' of coaching and 'relating to another' (not necessarily 'simple' rules - the rules could be very complex). And this COULD be experienced as relational, empathic, caring. I don't discount that.

So what is our 'value add' as human coaches?

I believe it's the human-human connection.

Dr Gabor Mate talks to this. (I share the video link below.)

He's talking about research into what makes therapy effective, but we can easily apply this to coaching as well. He says (emphases mine):

"It's not the technique of the therapist, it's not their formal academic or other qualifications; it's the quality of the relationship between the client and the therapist.

The heart emits electrical waves - radiation - as does the brain. And when the waves are in sync between the heart and the brain you're in a state of calmness and presence.

(The study) looked at people in therapy .....measuring the emanations - the radiations - from the heart and the brain of the therapist and the client.

The most effective moments of therapy were when the radiation of both therapist and client were in sync with each other. This happened more often when the therapist was listening rather than when they were speaking.

So it wasn't the great insights of the therapist that made the hugest difference, it was the capacity of the therapist to actually listen and be present - really be present with the client."

So the magic happens in this human-human connection.

This heart-to-heart, and brain-to-brain connection.

Left hemisphere AND right hemisphere - the right hemisphere being the part of our brain to do with 'the whole', intuition, emotions, spirituality....

And I love it that the therapist was often most effective when they weren't actually saying anything!

We can probably all admit, with a wry smile to ourselves (I know I can), that we can be pretty pleased with the verbal interventions we make (the questions we ask, the exploration we invite, the emotion we give space to, the wise words we offer) and believe that these were instrumental in the breakthrough the client made.

Our egos can take a little knock here. But also, we can be inspired! And know that our humanness, our empathic human listening, what we feel in our heart as we sit with another human who is troubled or distressed (those emanations, radiations Mate refers to) - is 'the magic', our 'added value', our uniquely human gift.

And I don't know about you, but what I'm finding more and more, in my conversations with people (be they coaching clients, supervisees, colleagues, friends) is that people need human connection, community and healing.

I think AI coaching has its place.

And our uniqueness is to be found in our hearts.

To get in touch with me: [email protected] or Comment on LinkedIn.

?‘Til Next Time ….Go Well

Resources:

Rebecca Rutschmann:

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/rebeccarutschmann/

Guardian Podcast (Science Weekly) on AI:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2024/mar/02/the-guardians-new-podcast-series-about-ai-black-box-prologue#:~:text=In%20it%2C%20Michael%20Safi%20explores,she%20have%20concerns%20about%20him%3F

Generative AI Chatbot Replika:

https://replika.com/

The Center for Humane Technology:

https://www.humanetech.com/

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/tristanharris/

Mo Gawdat:

https://www.mogawdat.com/

Mo Gawdat's book on AI:

https://www.mogawdat.com/scary-smart

Mo Gawdat on Diary of a CEO podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csA9YhzYvmk

Dr Gabor Mate talking about the quality of the relationship:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6v4AK1qkr9/?igsh=MTV4OGgxcjFwaDE3ag==

Another book which inspired me, and which was required reading when I undertook my Diploma in Coaching Supervision with www.coachingsupervisionacademy.com:

'A General Theory of Love' -

https://www.wob.com/en-ie/books/thomas-lewis/general-theory-of-love/9780375709227/GOR001991427?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Shopping&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-CyBhAqEiwAeOcTdfx3gDbj-9WwIKpcpOsVhkuXpYGl59cYvlK9A7AOUJGuYMfETfBW3RoCSeoQAvD_BwE